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Cultural Note: Prima repubblica

This is the name given to the system of political power, often based on corruption and the illegal financing of parties, which collapsed in 1992-93 following the scandals which emerged from the Mani pulite inquiry, but also because of the fading of the ideological contrasts of the Cold War. The major government parties of the time, including in particular the Democrazia Cristiana (Christian Democrats) and the Partito Socialista (Socialist Party), were disbanded and new parties which are still active today took their place (see → Mani pulite, → Partiti politici).